When was Broadway's golden age? — Page 2

I'm beginning to adore this thread. Fact is, I've been trying to pin down the end of the Golden Age of the Broadway Musical (1943-?) for most of my adult life! One could make a case for almost any year from 1956 through 1982. And how long should a Golden Age be? Longer than two decades seems odd. Most folks seem to use 1964 or 1965, I think....

It's interesting when you consider this: Most of the time you don't realize an Age has ended until you realize you'r already started a new one. And as 1943 marked a beginning, it would be nice to find another beginning, rather than an ending.

So, when did Broadway seem different than it had been in the late 40s and early 50s? I think you have to consider the onset of television and rock and roll on the observation habits and musical tastes of middle class Americans, and find when Broadway responded to them with something new. And of course, those things were gradual, though Elvis (1957) and The Beatles (1964) and color television (1966?) set milestones.

My best date at present for a new start is 1968. "Hair" moved to Broadway that year, and competed against "Promises, Promises" at the 1969 Tonys. And what did 1967 give us? Not much. So, I'm comfortable with 1943-1967 as the Golden Age, with the Silver Age as 1968-1993. I think the present age (Bronze?) is 1994-2018 or 2019 (we're almost ready for something new!). And the prior age (Stone?) was 1927-1942. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

I was kidding in calling 1927-1942 the Stone Age. But I don't think that's a pejorative term, btw.

When trying to name ages, what terms should we use? Iron Age and Heroic Age are the only ones left, besides Stone, Gold(en), Silver and Bronze. I'm pretty sure I don't want to call anything the Space Age or the Dark Ages.

Let's go up to six ages, and let's try these:

THE BLACK CROOK started the Stone Age (1866-1902)
THE WIZARD OF OZ started the Iron Age (1903-1926)
SHOW BOAT started the Silver Age (1927-1942)
OKLAHOMA! started the Golden Age (1943-1967)
HAIR started the Heroic Age (1968-1993)
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST started the Bronze Age (1994-201?)

Maybe the Platinum Age will be next!

The "Ages" are deliberately placed in order; you can't really shuffle them around.

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But, again, the important question to ask is - "does popularity automatically bestow quality?"

More people saw Avatar than have seen Citizen Kane; does that mean Avatar has more quality? More people have read The Da Vinci Code than have read Middlemarch - does that mean the former book is the product of a more golden era of literature than the latter?

I think any evaluative statement based upon nothing but sales numbers is pretty empty. Talk about quality, sure, and talk about sales if it interests you, but don't confuse the two.

If more people are attending Broadway shows than ever before in history (and I should say that I never place blind trust in "facts" like that - it may be true, it may be an exaggeration), it probably has more to do with increased tourism and global economy than the quality (subjective as it is) of the current product on offer.

And I think anyone who has seen a range of what's been offered on Broadway, from Showboat through Scandalous knows that the nature of what's offered has changed fundamentally.

"So Broadway shows are so popular right now because they are so bad?

No, that's not what anyone says. What I'm saying is to compare number of tickets sold to any perception of inherent increased quality in the product isn't a coherent approach (even though, on a reductive level, it might seem to make sense). Too many other factors are left out of the equation.

About standing ovations: if you really believe that increased standing ovations reflect increased quality, I really don't think we can even discuss the concept. People are standing up these days because they're used to standing up.

Updated On: 12/6/12 at 02:06 PM

The Golden Age was specifically from October 20, 2005 - December 11, 2005.

Question answered.

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I think that other shows from the 70s that had "cross-over" success would be Jesus Christ Superstar, Grease, and Annie. Maybe also Pippin, The Wiz, Rocky Horror, Godspell.

But I do really believe that, if Broadway attendance is at some significantly all-time high, it's more because tourism is at a high, and one of the things most tourists in NYC expect to do is go to a Broadway show, particularly one of the tourist cafeterias like Mamma Mia, Phantom, Wicked, or Chicago.

Do you think that is a bad thing?

They call me mad, but one day, when the history of Broadway’s Golden Age is written, they will mark my name well -- Sidney Applebaum!

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Newintown: Do you think it's a good or bad thing that tourists who visit New York think it's important to take in a Broadway show? (I'll confess I think it's a wonderful thing- maybe because when I can afford it I am one of those tourists.)

And I apologize- I missed your whole post ripping me for not valuing your opinion.

I am curious- WHY on a board full of theater lovers is news that Broadway had it's most (financially) successful year ever greeted with so much skepticism and outright contempt? To me it seems obvious that NO MATTER WHAT the state of Broadway, the "experts" or "Fans" will hold that epoch in contempt- like Goldman did in his book. It is only in retrospect, after forgetting all the forgettable shows, do the "pros" proclaim perfection?

Updated On: 12/6/12 at 02:48 PM

"I am curious- WHY on a board full of theater lovers is news that Broadway had it's most (financially) successful year ever greeted with so much skepticism and outright contempt?"

For the same reason people hate the Kardashians.

The thrust of your stance is based in a business concern -- financials. Most of the people here are artists in some form, not business people. The artistic mind never celebrates the success of mediocrity.

And you seem to feel like a superior being because of it. Congratulations.

"I think that other shows from the 70s that had "cross-over" success would be Jesus Christ Superstar, Grease, and Annie. Maybe also Pippin, The Wiz, Rocky Horror, Godspell. "

Fair enough--JCS was of course a huge hit in the US with tons of concert tours before the staged version--forgot about Grease. I still thinkChorus Line must be added to the list--the tour was massive, and my even a non theatre person like my mom living in a small Canadian town remembers hearing about it...